Springfield
- This article is about the town. For the state capital, see Springfield, Illinois.
Springfield
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Town/City Information
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Springfield is the city where the Simpson family lives. It is located near Shelbyville, Capital City, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook in a state whose name is never mentioned. The evidence is sufficiently contradictory that it cannot be identified with a specific state. Its population is estimated to be about 30,720. It is known as a twin city to Shelbyville. The town has often been dubbed as the, or at a stretch, one of, America's worst towns and according to Marge it's "America's Crud Bucket", as well as being the World's Fattest Town.
One story said is was founded in 1796 by Jebediah Springfield, a.k.a. Hans Sprungfeld, and a band of fiercely determined pioneers out of Maryland who set off after misinterpreting a passage in The Bible, Springfield seems to be a small city rather than a megalopolis.[5] Another story said it was founded in 1821 by Springfield leading a band of 34 Dutch settlers in search of a nice place to live.[6] When Jebediah died he split Springfield between his two sons, Obadiah and Zechariah Springfield. The city was later rejoined but never officially. When Lisa Simpson discovered that the rejoining was not official, the town was split into two parts again, but it was later rejoined again.[7]
Its features include one nuclear power plant; two elementary schools; a minor league all-star baseball stadium; an airport; a harbor; a downtown district; a large tire yard (burning since 1966); a ghetto; a Russian district; its own Little Italy; several specialized shopping districts, Moe's Tavern, Barney's Bowl-A-Rama and a Chinatown.
Springfield's nearest neighboring town is Shelbyville. There is a strong rivalry between the towns, dating back to a rivalry between their founders—Jebediah Springfield and Shelbyville Manhattan. Manhattan wanted to found a city where men were free to marry their cousins, but Springfield refused to allow it, so Shelbyville was founded as a rival town.[8] The story of the dispute between Jebediah Springfield and Shelbyville Manhattan contains faint references to the historical stories of the deal between Asa Lovejoy and William Overton to file a land claim, and the dispute between Lovejoy and Francis W. Pettygrove over the name of Portland, Oregon. Springfield has been called America's crud basket. It's an ever growing city, despite all the disasters that happen in the town.
Contents
History
Springfield originally existed before 1649 as Sprynge-Fielde, founder and foundation period unknown.
In its early days, the city was the target of many Native American Indian raids, and to this day many forts and trading posts remain (including Fort Springfield and Fort Sensible). It was also the site of two battles during the American Civil War. After the city was founded should the population determine what the town would be called, there was a tie between Maudville and Blister City. In Jebediah Springfield first official act as a mayor broke the tied and named the town to Springfield in honor of his father.[6]
The second (or official) founder of Springfield was pioneer Jebediah Springfield, widely celebrated in the town as a brave and proud American hero. He famously once killed a bear with his bare hands, and this deed is immortalized in a bronze statue in front of the city hall. However, revisionist historians have since determined that the bear in fact probably killed Springfield, and not vice-versa. The town motto "a noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" is attributed to Jebediah. Lisa Simpson later discovered that Jebediah Springfield was in fact Hans Sprungfeld, a murderous pirate and enemy of George Washington, but eventually decided that the myth of Springfield should be preserved for the inspiration it gives to people and did not reveal her findings.[5]
During the early 1900s, Springfield started a holiday named "Whacking Day" with the intention of beating up Irish immigrants in Springfield, and eventually transformed into an event where Springfield's denizens beat several snakes to death. In the mid-20th century, the city reached perhaps the pinnacle of its success when it became the home of the Aquacar, a car which could be driven in water like a boat. At this point, the city's streets were literally paved with gold. But unfortunately, this economy collapsed when it was discovered that the Aquacar was prone to spontaneous explosion after 600 miles and/or knots.[9] The town has never really recovered from this tragedy (the gold was reportedly shipped to the Sultan of Brunei to encase one of his many elephant herds), but some heavy industry remains in the town, including factories for Ah, Fudge! chocolate, fireworks, candy, children's cartoons, toys, Spirographs, crackers, peanuts, fake vomit, pillows, apple cider, and boxes, as well as a steel mill.
During Homer Simpson's tenure as Springfield's Sanitation Commissioner, however, the whole town was relocated "five miles down the road" and reformed, as the previous location had become flooded with garbage and waste due to Homer's allowing other cities to dump their garbage into the mines that run under the town. Mysteriously, the move was only mentioned once: when Lisa remarked with surprise that they even allowed the casino to come with them when they moved the town while watching its demolition.[10] The town was later moved again, then to the "The Outlands".[11]
Springfield was nearly chosen as the host for the Summer Olympic Games, but Bart Simpson's antics angered representatives from the IOC.[12] It was also nearly awarded an NFL franchise team, The Springfield Meltdowns, but Abraham Simpson attacked the commissioner - mistaking him for a burglar - while he was trying to use the Simpsons' phone.
Bart accidentally moons the U.S. flag, and the Simpsons appear on a talk show to explain the matter. However, the show's host makes it appear that Springfield hates America. When the rest of the U.S. reciprocates this loathing, Mayor Quimby changes the name of Springfield to "Liberty-Ville". An enormous patriotic craze ensues, wherein all items are priced at $ 17.76, even houses.[13]
The town has split at least twice. Once based on area code changes, into New Springfield and Olde Springfield (Not to be confused with the historical site/tourist center of the same name).
At one point in the town's history, gambling was legalized due to an economic slump. To attract more people into the town, Springfield legalized gay marriage. The majority of the populace is also quite horrible at paying tax returns, with the majority of the population waiting until the last possible day to file their tax returns as evidenced by the huge amount of lines at the Post Office on Tax Day, with some even mistaking it for a Metallica concert line, some hiring accountants who are just as bad as themselves in regards to paying taxes on time, and some even falsifying many of their actual expenditures while undergoing a last minute rundown on tax returns, misshaping the envelope containing the tax returns, and eventually being arrested by the FBI/IRS for severe audits.[14] Mayor Quimby apparently allows Montgumery Burns so much legal freedom because he is the towns sole tax payer.[15]
Trappuccino
Lisa Simpson and Colin spearheaded an effort to clean Lake Springfield, which was heavily polluted. After a town-wide cleanup, the lake was polluted again single handily by Homer Simpson, who dumped a large silo of "pig crap" into the lake, polluting it to unsurpassed levels. To keep the pollution from spreading to other towns, Russ Cargill, head of the EPA, convinced President Arnold Schwarzenegger to seal Springfield inside a gigantic dome (built by a company owned by Cargill).
During that time, the town fell into ruin and was plagued by power shortages (Mr. Burns refused to give free power) and lack of supplies. The town was trapped under the dome for more than ninety-three days. The dome was later destroyed by Homer and Bart Simpson, and the town was repaired and rebuilt.
Later History
Springfield eventually fell into a massive economic crisis that resulted in several large cutbacks, as well as forcing several of the citizens to move to Detroit to find better job opportunities.
Geography and climate
Geography
Springfield's geography includes big Mountains maybe part of Rocky Mountains and a lot of hills, gorges, giant redwood trees, a desert, a forest, lakes, rivers and a volcano. It is located on the coast of a large body of water, possibly an ocean. It has also been stated that "West Springfield" is 3 times the size of Texas, and looks exactly like Texas in shape.
Major geographic features include Springfield Gorge, Springfield National Forest, Mt. Springfield, Springfield Harbor, the Springfield Badlands, the Murderhorn, Springfield Glacier, Widow's Peak, and Mt. Carlmore.
Cityscape
The city is divided into a number of districts, including Skid Row, the Lower East Side (a Jewish neighborhood), Springfield Heights, Bum Town, East Springfield, Recluse Ranch Estates, Junkieville, Pressboard Estates, South Street Squidport, Little Newark, Crackton, a Russian district, West Springfield, Tibet Town, Waverly Hills, Little Italy, and a gay district. For a brief period, Springfield divided itself into two cities, Olde Springfield and New Springfield, on the basis of an area code division. Wealthy Olde Springfield, with Mayor Quimby, anchorman Kent Brockman, and bullies such as Nelson Muntz, was separated from the rest of Springfield by a wall that was erected by poor New Springfield. Mayor Quimby maintained control of Olde Springfield while Homer Simpson ran New Springfield. The cities were later re-united through a concert by The Who.
The city's Main Street is in a pitiful state of disrepair, owing to citizens driving along it while carrying excessively heavy weights and leaving snow chains on their tires after the snow has melted. Some of the potholes have become so wide that entire cars and trucks can (and have) fallen into them.[16]
Towns near Springfield include North Haverbrook, Shelbyville, Ogdenville, Brockway, Guidopolis and Cranford.
Climate
Springfield is located in an area that receives rain and snow. Most of the time the skies are blue and mostly sunny.
Springfield is also subject to a number of natural disasters including avalanches, earthquakes, acid rain, floods, hurricanes, lightning strikes, tornadoes, and volcanic eruptions.
Pollution
Visitors from elsewhere are advised to constantly wear radiation suits and carry Geiger counters, since the city is perhaps the most radioactive in the U.S. This is because the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant was built during an incredibly lax period for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in which the plant's nuclear core was surrounded not by several layers of protective concrete and graphite but by ordinary plaster with a horseshoe hanging from a nail. Also, management apparently gives employees benefits for storing nuclear waste in buildings; in some episodes, barrels of waste have been seen in the Simpsons' basement. Also perhaps due to this, the book reports that international law forbids shipping produce from Springfield; those who do venture into a local supermarket or farmer's market may find that it gives off a barely audible hum. Springfield is also "proudly" home to the state's largest tire fire, which has been continuously burning for approximately 42 years, which does nothing to improve the air quality.
Springfieldians have a very uncaring attitude towards the environment. The Springfield Shopper is proud of the fact that they use absolutely no recycled material in their paper. Even the mention of the word can cause one of the town residents to pass out from boredom, or at least slam the door in the face of plucky little girls concerned about the state of their town without a second thought, or even throw anything they can get their hands on at the Green Day raft just for saying that they wanted to talk about it. In fact, the only time they even seemed to care is literally when they drink it.
There have also been instances of accidental pollution, such as when Captain Horatio McCallister once crashed an oil tanker around the Springfield coast in a drunken stupor. McCallister also, while still drunk, seemed to think there was no way out of the predicament until he suggested to a newscaster to take the blame for him in the middle of a live broadcast.
People and culture
The geographic location of Springfield is never stated, but Springfield is generally considered to depict, in a lampooning manner, "bread-and-butter" Middle America, culturally somewhere between a suburb and a small town. Springfieldians are not, for the most part, cosmopolitan, and most are of lower-middle to middle income.
The "small-town nastiness" of Springfield is made evident by a benighted tradition of "snake-whacking" whereby, annually, Springfieldians bludgeon snakes to death. Lisa Simpson, disgusted by this activity, encourages the people of Springfield to quit the tradition with the aid of soul singer Barry White.
Springfieldians have a very bad reputation. As described by Dr. Hibbert, it is a town where the smartest have no power and the stupidest run everything. A fairly accurate statement considering that the offices of police chief and mayor respectively are run by clearly incompetent and corrupt individuals, those few who are competent in official positions are soon replaced by other incompetents, such as former trash commissioner Ray Paterson being kicked out of office to be replaced by Homer Simpson. TIME magazine once did a cover story on Springfield entitled "America's Worst City," and Newsweek has referred to the city as "America's Crud Bucket," the town actually has a billboard saying it is the "Meanest town in America." Most citizens are very stupid, overweight, and also quick to anger, though it should be noted that Shelbyville residents are even stupider and more backwards. There is a riot almost every month. Springfield also has a strange smell that is uncomfortable to new residents. It is usually about six weeks before they adjust. Springfield is also the first United States city to abandon the Metric system.
It is noted by the Duff Book of World Records as the World's Fattest Town[17] which they are quite proud of.
Demographics
Springfield is home to people of many races, cultures, and creeds, including European-Americans (the Simpson, Flanders, and Van Houten families), African-Americans (the Hibbert family, Carl Carlson), Latinos (Bumblebee Man), South Asians (Apu and his family, "Two Guys From Kabul") and East Asians (Cookie Kwan, Akira).
There is a large gap between wealthy citizens (such as Krusty the Clown and Mr. Burns), and poor citizens (Nelson Muntz, Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel). Population is about 40,000.
Crime
There are a surprising number of prisons in Springfield, including Springfield Penitentiary, Springwood Minimum Security Prison, Springfield Women's Prison, Springfield Juvenile Correctional Facility, Morningwood Penitentiary and Montgomery Burns State Penitentiary. Springfield Elementary School was even once semi-converted into a prison. The Springfield Police Department, led by Police Chief Clancy Wiggum, is a largely corrupt and incompetent organization, according to Wiggum they only have enough manpower to enforce the last three laws passed. Another time Lou pointed out that he, Wiggum and Eddie were the entire police force. There was also a time in the town's history where the police duties were handed over from the Springfield Police Department over to a private security company called SpringShield, which was run by Homer with the help of his friends Lenny and Carl who did a far better job. Most organized crime in town is controlled by mob boss Fat Tony, however the Yakuza are present in smaller numbers.
Arts & Entertainment
Springfield boasts an opera house, an outdoor amphitheater, an arboretum, a vibrant jazz scene, and was mentioned as the entertainment capital of its state. There is also an unusually high number of museums, including Springfield Natural History Museum (which features the world's largest cubic zirconia), Springfield Knowledgeum, Springsonian Museum, Springfield Wax Museum, the Springfield Palace of Fine Arts, the Muesuem of Swordfish and a stamp museum. Springfield once had a concert hall, but it was closed down after the first two measures of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and turned into the Montgomery Burns State Penitentiary. Springfield has two movie theatres: the Aztec Theater and the Springfield Googolplex Theatres. It also has a drive-in theater and a dinner theater.
Media
The city paper is The Springfield Shopper, and the most popular TV station is KBBL-TV (Channel 6), with Kent Brockman, Scott Christian and Arnie Pie on the news, Krusty the Clown and Sideshow Mel doing shows, and Bill & Marty on the radio. Alternatively, Channel Ocho is a Spanish language/Latino channel featuring Bumblebee Man.
Religion
Religion and faith plays a large role in Springfieldian society. The largest church community appears to be the First Church of Springfield, a Presbylutheran church headed by Reverend Timothy Lovejoy. There is also a synagogue (led by Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky), a mosque, a Catholic church (The Notre Dame of Springfield), an Episcopal church (with vibrating pews), a crystal cathedral, the Cathedral of the Downtown, and a Buddhist temple. Apu, a Hindu, has a statue of the god Ganesh in the Kwik-E-Mart.
Once, many Springfieldians joined a cult known as Movementarianism, but soon left after it was revealed as a fraud.[18] According to Reverend Lovejoy, there is also an alliance of people who split off from the Presbyterians to worship an Inanimate Carbon Rod.[9] Lenny Leonard, Carl Carlson and Lisa Simpson are practicing Buddhists. There is also a Stonecutters Lodge (currently re-named as "The Ancient Society of No-Homers"), of which practically every male in the city (minus Homer Simpson) is a member.
The town government is secular. In 1963, a law was passed which banned praying on city property. Another episode featured a convict who was imprisoned for erecting a nativity scene on city property. Superintendent Chalmers fired new Principal Ned Flanders when he overhears him saying "thank the Lord" over the PA system.[19]
Sports
There are a number of sports teams and sports arenas: the Springfield Isotopes, a baseball team (which once threatened to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico), the Springfield Speedway, a monster truck rally (featuring Truckasaurus), the Springfield Atoms football team, the Springfield Stun arena football team, the Springfield Ice-O-topes hockey team, the Association of Springfield Semi-Pro Boxers, and a dog track. It also use to have a bull fighting ring. There was also once the Mr. Burns Basketball Stadium which was neglected and subsequently converted into a colossal Bee Hive. Springfield curling team managed to get to the Vancouver Winter Olympics and win gold.
Districts
Pressboard Estates
Pressboard Estates is the neighborhood Evergreen Terrace is located in.
Evergreen Terrace
Evergreen Terrace is the main district in the Simpsons. It is where many of the families live. The Simpsons live on 742 Evergreen Terrace. It is home to the Kwik-E-Mart.
West Springfield
West Springfield is apparently three times the size of Texas. It is mostly barren, save for some farmland and oil rigs. It is here that Homer Simpson and Lenny Leonard got an oil rig job.
Recluse Ranch Estates
Recluse Ranch Estates is the upperclass rich district of Springfield.
Little Italy
Little Italy is the Italian district of Springfield.
Waverly Hills
Waverly Hills is a rich upper-class district of Springfield with the best schools.
Suburbs of Springfield
- Sprooklyn
- Skid Row
- Waverly Hills
- Springfield Heights
- East Springfield
- Greektown
- the Waterfront
- Lower East Side
- Bumtown
- Cemetery District
- Rat's Nest Neighborhood
- Recluse Ranch Estates
- South Springfield
- Junkieville
- Pressboard Estates
- South Street Squidport
- Springfield Residential Hills
- Little Newark
- Crackton
- Russian District
- West Springfield
- Springfield Chinatown
- Tibet Town
- Ethnictown
- Gay Neighborhood
- Little Italy
- Theater District
- Springfield Keys
- Little Bangkok
Economy
Springfield's economy, although at one time "on the GROW!" and rich to the point that the streets were literally paved with gold, is now floundering. Some heavy industry remains in the town, including factories for Ah! Fudge chocolate, Southern Cracker, fireworks, candy, and boxes, as well as a steel mill. Many Springfieldians are employed by the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.
Major industries include nuclear power, heavy manufacturing, Duff Beer, and retail. Many of Springfield's stores are located in the Springfield Mall.
Springfield tried to improve their economy by legalizing gay marriage and gambling.
At one point, Springfield's Economy hit an all time low and was suggested to be even worse than Detroit's economic failure, resulting in the halting of roadkill pickups, significantly reducing the amount of school time, releasing of low level criminals, and said criminals allowed to commit low-level crimes due to the Police lacking the resources and funding to enforce them.[20]
Anthem
Infrastructure
Government
The current mayor of Springfield is Joe Quimby, a sleazy womanizing politician whose served at least 5 consecutive terms as mayor unopposed, he once admitted to using the town treasury to fund the murder of his enemies. He was briefly thrown out in favor of Sideshow Bob, but was later re-instated when Bob was impeached for electoral fraud. His post was threatened by a recall election, but none of the new candidates gained enough of the vote to oust him since the lead candidate who was most voted for was disqualified from the election.
When the mayor briefly skipped town due to missing lottery funds, the town's MENSA chapter (Lisa Simpson, Dr. Hibbert, Lindsey Naegle, Comic Book Guy and Prof. Frink) technocracy took over. They changed clocks to metric time, eliminated the green lights from stoplights, and put the city on the top 300 US cities. It was 299th, above East Saint Louis, Illinois.[21]
In the United States House of Representatives, Springfield was represented by Congressman Bob Arnold, who was later expelled for taking bribes. Horace Wilcox is stated to have been congressman since 1933.[22] After Wilcox's death, Krusty the Clown runs for Congress as a Republican, and wins. He is still seen as a representative.[23]
Laws, Statutes, and Propositions
Gambling is legal in Springfield, as is gay marriage,[24] trade in children and fishing with dynamite. For a brief time, prohibition was brought back ("spirituous beverages are hereby prohibited in Springfield under penalty of catapult").[25] An unusual law from 200 years prior dictates that all ducks must wear long pants.
As is with many other towns there are a number of unusual and outdated statutes in Springfield and its town charter, including "the chief constable shall receive one pig every month and two comely lasses of virtue true," "it is illegal to mail threatening letters and to put squirrels down your pants for the purposes of gambling," and "five kicks of the same can shall be considered illegally transporting litter."[26] The Town Charter also stated that Springfield's mayor, after election, cannot be removed from office... except by a recall election.
Proposition 24, which would deport all illegal immigrants from Springfield, passed with 95% of the public's support,[27] but was overruled at some point. Marge and her family successfully lobbied to get Proposition 242, a "Families Come First" grassroots voter initiative, passed.
Health & Education
There are quite a number of public and private schools in Springfield, including two elementary schools (Springfield Elementary School & East Springfield Elementary School), junior high school, high school and The Enriched Learning Center for Gifted Children. There are also a number of colleges, including Springfield A&M, Krusty's Clown College,[28] the University of Springfield, and the unfortunately named Springfield Heights Institute of Technology. A full list of education institutions in Springfield can be found here.
Springfield has many museums, such as the Springfield Museum of Natural History and the Springfield Knowledgeum. It has a library and an observatory.
Springfield has at least one dog obedience school.
Springfield is known to have at least two hospitals- Springfield General Hospital and the rarely seen Springfield Veteran's Hospital which is described to be the worst of the two hospitals.[29]
Transportation
Several highways run through Springfield, including the Michael Jackson Expressway (Interstate Route 401, formerly the Dalai Lama Expressway),[30] the uncompleted Matlock Expressway,[31] Interstate 95, Route 202, Route 88 (goes through Nelson Muntz's neighborhood) and Rural Route 9. There is also a railroad, and an abandoned aqueduct. A Springfield Monorail existed for a very brief time before it was shut down after a disastrous maiden voyage.[16] It has a street called Main Street which used to have a lot of potholes.[16]
The city bus service provides public transit on the route 22 bus on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and the 22A bus on Tuesday and Thursday.
Springfield International Airport is the airport that serves Springfield. It has scheduled flights around the US and several other countries including France, Israel, China, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.
There was once a subway line in Springfield, but it is currently abandoned, most likely because the moving train was capable of causing ground tremors above.[32] A cable-car line was seen in a couple of occasions.
Springfield's State
Behind the Laughter
There has been much speculation about where Springfield is. It was eventually revealed by Matt Groening in 2012 that Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon.[33]
Sister city
Kabul used to be Springfield's sister city, until a disaster at a Roofi concert caused Kabul to end the affiliation.[34]
Appearances
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This article or section is incomplete.
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- Springfield appears in every single piece of The Simpsons work, except possibly the advertisement Butterfinger on a Stick, and possibly some of the shorts.
References
See also
External links
- Interactive map of Springfield with screen caps
- History of Portland, Oregon (an influence on the fictional history of Springfield)
- The Simpsons Archive: Where Is The Simpsons' Springfield?
- CompuGlobalHyperMegaNet, location of The Simpsons being determined by elimination
Towns and Cities
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Springfield's state
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| Districts of Springfield | ||
| Affluence Acres • Bumtown • Crackton • Chinatown • Downtown Springfield • East Springfield • Entertainment District • Ethnictown • Fast-Food Boulevard • Fort Springfield • Gay village • Greektown • Hickton • Junkyville • Korea Town • Little Bangkok • Little Ethiopia • Little Newark • Little Seattle • Little Stockholm • Little Ukraine • Lower East Side • Murder Town • New Money Acre$ • Olde Springfield Towne • Olympus Estates • Pressboard Estates (Evergreen Terrace) • Rat's Nest • Recluse Ranch Estates • Russian District • Skid Row • Springfield Harbor • Springfield Heights • Springfield's Little Italy • Springfield Theater District • Springshire • Sprooklyn • Tibet Town • The Waterfront (Springfield Squidport) • Waverly Hills • West Springfield | ||
| Towns, Cities and Locations in Springfield State | ||
| Baby Seal Beach • Bloodbath Gulch • Brockway • Cape Fear • Capital City • Catfish Lake • Crystal County • Cypress Creek • Garbage Island • Guidopolis • Lake Flaccid • Littleneck Falls • Little Pwagmattasquarmsettport • Mount Seldom • New Horrorfield • North Haverbrook • North Townsburg • Ogdenville • The Outlands • Screamville • Shelbyville • Spittle County • Stenchburg • Springfield • Springfield Hamptons • Swartzwelder County • Terror Lake • Weevilville | ||
| Districts of Shelbyville | ||
| Manhattan Square • Shelbyville Bluffs • Shelbyville Merchandise Mile |
